Readers' letters

From Mercury News readers

Posted:
11/26/2013 01:31:00 PM PST

SJSU must be leader to improve race relations

How far have we come as a nation in regard to race relations, acceptance and tolerance? Some people will answer we've made many strides and have come a long way. Others will answer not far enough. The appalling incident against an African-American student at San Jose State University is a demonstration of the latter.

Where was the leadership? SJSU cannot predetermine a student's bigotry tendencies, but it is responsible for clearly communicating tolerance throughout the fabric of the institution. This message must be communicated throughout the campus. Those who committed these atrocities undoubtedly felt emboldened and empowered to do so without fear of the university or legal consequences.

What support services does SJSU have in place to assure students can seek out assistance? Will there be a time when acceptance and tolerance becomes the norm? It's our hope that institutions like SJSU play a major role in dismantling intolerance and unacceptable racist acts.

Deborah Hill-Alston

President Santa Cruz NAACP

To be clear, let's call them urban 'clumps'

Regarding San Jose's plans for urban villages: A village is smaller than a town, which in turn is smaller than a city. In a village, you'll find chickens, front and backyards and gardens. In contrast, the dense urban constructions with apartments above, parking below and gated entrances for the cars have no yards, no gardens and no chickens. Let's not call these "villages." Let's call them "clumps." This is not 1984. We may, if we choose, speak plainly.

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Tom Day

Sunnyvale

Ignore the hysterics; all logging is not bad

Once again people who apparently don't have any training in silviculture are writing hysterical letters to the editor about clear-cutting. When properly done, clear-cutting is essential for reproduction of shade-intolerant species. Biodiversity is often enhanced on the edges of open areas. Whether the referenced bill should be passed or not, using people's unjustifiable fear of the word "clear-cutting" to try to defeat it is manipulative and politics at its worst. All logging is not bad. Trees are a renewable resource.

Susan Greenwood

Campbell

'No turkeys' can be a good thing for holiday

Instead of seeing the lack of turkeys at our area food banks as a tragedy ("Turkeys top holiday wish list," Nov. 23), I encourage people to see the opportunity in this situation. There are many, many vegan or vegetarian options that are cheaper, more nutritious and safer than cooking/serving a turkey on Thanksgiving.

There is no need for folks to go hungry when there are turkey alternatives. Providing yummy food options (and the recipes and ingredients!) might show people (and encourage) a new, healthier lifestyle.

Yes, yes, many folks would say serving turkey is a tradition. However I would argue that the tradition is really gathering with family and friends, and giving thanks for what we have ... and sometimes what we have is an opportunity to make healthier food and lifestyle choices.

Tina Morrill

San Jose

Facts rebut argument against technology

I was disappointed by Ethan Ris' tired recitation of the evils of technology-induced social isolation that ignores volumes of current and contradictory research, not to mention the problems with traditional educational approaches ("Devices isolate us, even in schools," Nov. 22). An 800-student lecture course is largely devoid of participation and only communal in the sense of physically sharing space. Like an airliner at 30,000 feet, your interaction only extends to those proximate to yourself.

The communal experience or its absence is not a matter of technology but use and design. Ris' perspective is unfortunately indicative of a decontextualized conceptual view of education and technology versus its actual use. For example, unlike a time-constrained physical classroom dominated by the instructor and the same few students, online discussion provides all students a chance to participate regardless of disability, shyness or English-language proficiency. What we need is better instructional design and technology use in all classes, not an outdated and reactionary either/or false dichotomy.

Ted M. Coopman, Ph.D.

Lecturer and faculty consultant for academic technology Department of Communication Studies San Jose State University

Toy gun proposal has one problem

The Nov. 23 story, "Bill would make BB guns obvious," sounds good but has one small flaw. If someone really wanted to shoot another person, all he would have to do is obtain a real weapon that looks like a BB gun, then paint it, and the cop would think it was only a toy and not shoot at him in self-defense!